Review: Outlander season 6 gets off to a grim start in “Echoes”

Outlander is back, folks! The Droughtlander is over and words can’t express the happiness and excitement I feel.

It’s been two long years since season 5 ended, back when the pandemic had only just begun and we were still trying to make sense of our new world. Nearly two years later, we catch up with the Fraser family, who are picking up the pieces after Claire (Caitriona Balfe) endured a traumatic assault at the end of season 5. Thinking back to that scene and the moments that followed is just as heartbreaking now as it was then. It’s a shame that Balfe (and the show, for that matter) got absolutely no recognition during awards season for the work they did there.

At the top of season 6, the American Revolutionary War is rapidly approaching. Jamie (Sam Heughan) is being pulled in a million different directions, and we see the stress start to show in the premiere.

Perhaps the most important part of the episode is the arrival of the Christie family: Tom (Mark Lewis Jones), Malva (Jessica Reynolds) and Allan (Alexander Vlahos). Tom and Jamie were imprisoned together in Ardsmuir, so there is some history there which will surface in a not so pleasant way this season.

This is just the tip of the iceberg, and I can’t wait to review all the episodes here on WinterIsComing. And with that in mind, let’s talk about the season 6 premiere, “Echoes.” SPOILERS below!

Outlander is back!

For Jamie, the “echo” of the title is represented by Tom Christie. It’s an echo from his past, one that he would rather forget. But no matter how he tries, his past will always ring in his ears.

Tom and his children, Malva and Allan, show up to Fraser’s Ridge hoping to find refuge. This is a complicated situation because 1) Jamie is in charge here, and; 2) Jamie and Tom were not friends during their time together in Ardsmuir. Tom is not happy that he has to get Jamie’s approval to live at Fraser’s Ridge and abide by his rules.

Things start to get tense in the premiere, but I think the real damage is going to happen later in the season. Even though we only have eight episodes, there is a lot to cover, including a lot of friction between Tom and Jamie.

Luckily, Claire is an angel and the nicest person to ever travel through time. She goes out of the way to make sure the Christies have accommodations. I have a feeling this is going to come back to bite her. Stay tuned.

Claire’s trauma

We’ve come to know Claire as one of the strongest female characters on television. She’s as resilient as they come and has endured more than most. I mean, getting thrust back in time isn’t easy! Granted, she did end up finding a handsome Scottish man that she went on to marry and has a happy life with so it all worked out, but still.

In the season 5 finale, Claire endured a traumatic assault by a group of men. It was one of the most difficult scenes  to watch in the history of Outlander, outside of the one I never want to think about again from the season 1 episode, “Wentworth Prison.”

Now Claire is trying to process what happened to her. There’s a sweet moment between her and Brianna (Sophie Skelton) to bring up here: Claire and Jamie’s daughter has unfortunately experienced her own share of trauma. Just a couple of seasons ago, she was raped by Stephen Bonnet (Ed Speleers). Once again, it was one of those Outlander moments that is difficult to think about. Because of the unfortunate experience they share in common, Brianna reassures her mother that she is there for her for whatever she needs.

I hope that Brianna’s support will help Claire through this difficult time. Sadly, Jamie knows about this experience, too. The family support will go a long way.

However, I think we are going to see Claire get worse before she gets better. Despite all the support, she is having an internal battle, and emotional scars are forming. I think we are going to see Claire make a lot of questionable decisions as she processes the trauma, and I fear that could mean disaster for the entire family.

Things are just getting started on Outlander Season 6, and while we only have seven more episodes to look forward to, there is a lot headed our way. The Christies being around will put Jamie (Sam Heughan) in a very sticky situation. The guy already has so much on his plate with the impending war, and now that the North Carolina governor has asked him to work with their Cherokee neighbors, things are going to get very complicated.

Each character has a very interesting journey to go on this season. I hope you’ll join us as we recap the episodes to come, and bask in the glory of Outlander’s return.

Until next week!

Grade: A

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